Combination harvester-thrasher



W. F. MacGREGOR CGIBINATION HARVESTER THRASHER Filed March-'21. 19.2.5

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

- UNITED STATES PA'rsN'r ortica:

WALLACE F. MACGREGOR, GF RACINE, W'ISCONSIN, ASSEGNOR'TO J. I. CASE THR-ESF- ING MACHINE COMPANY, on

coivrBiNA'rron- Application led March 21, 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in combination harvester-thrashers, and particularly to means for connecting said clements in a manner whereby they may be compactly folded to reduce the width of the machine as a whole for transporta-tion and storage purposes.

In the accompaning drawing, forming part hereof, Figure 1 is a plan of a con'ibination harvester-thrasher embodying mj provements, certain equipment and de of construction being omitted for pur of clearness; Fig. 2 an end elevation; Fig. o an enlarged detail of the hinge mechanism which I employ taken on the dotted line 5 5 in Fig; 2; and Fig. 4 a plan illustrating a modified arrangementv of the stub-axle which I may employ.r

In said drawing the portions marked 5 indicate the thrasher, 6 the harvester, and 8 the carrying wheels for the thrasherY and 9 the interchangeable ground-wheel for the harvester and thrasher. As shown,4 the thrasher wheel 8 may be supported upon a stub axle, 10. Upon the side of the thrasher opposite to wheel 8 I mount a hinge member 11, and at its lower end said hinge is secured to a coupling, 14, preferably having a socket member, 15, extending laterally from the thrasher for supporting the axle, 16, which sustains the harvester frame, 17, 18, to which latter the forwardly extending arms, 19, are secured, and upon Awhich the carrier and other mechanisms of the harvester are mounted.

For readily raising and lowering said harvester I provide coiled springs, 21, about axle 16, which at one end are anchored to said axle and at their opposite ends are connected to the harvester frame, so as to balance the weight. thereof7 and these springs are so tensioned that with ordinary or simple controlling mechanism (not shown) connected to the thrasher and harvester the latter may be adjusted and maintained and guided in proper relation to the crop to be out.

The coupling 14 carries a forwardly extending stub-axle, 22, as shown in Fig. 3, `but it is obvious that such stubsaxle may be secured directly to the main axle 16 and project laterally therefrom as indicated in Fig. 4, for a purpose to appear. rllhe hinge member l11 and coupling 14 are hollow, and

RACINE, VZIQOOITSIN, A CORPORATION.

IARVESTER-THRASEIER.

Serial No. 17,335.

in which is inserted a supporting leg, 23, preferably provided with a foot, 24, which leg may be held in desired position by one or more pins, 25. f

When it is desired to fold the harvesterlongside the thrasher the leg 23 is lowered o the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. Q and retained in such position by a pin, 25,

vwhich provides a stable support for the otherwise temporarily wheelless side of the thrashor. By removing the ordinary braces between. the thrasher and harvester the latter by reason of its connection with the hinge member 1l through axle 16 can be swung closely alongside said thrasher as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The stub axle then assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, when the ground wheel 9 may be transferred from the end of axle 16 to'said stub axle Q2, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the leg 2S meanwhile supporting the thrasher during the operations of folding the harvester and transfer-ring said ground wheel, whereupon said leg may be telescoped into hinge member 11 and secured therein by the pins, as described, and the outer end of the axle supported by achain` 27, or otherwise from the thrasher. It will thus be seen that I provide a hinge of simple character for folding the harvester close to the thrasher in a ner, and which is also adapted to be equipped with a wheel for supporting the t irasher in stationary and traveling posit-ions in the manner described. hile hinge member 1l is shown as of an elongated character and seoureddirectly to the thrasher it will be understood that my improvement comprehends any suitable vertically arranged pintle for connecting axle 16 to the thrasher so that the harvester be swung alongside thereof and the thrasher supported by a wheel mounted on a stub axle arranged as described or otherwise associated with an appropriate partof the combination machine for the purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester, a vertical hinge member connected to said thrasher, a coupling mounted on said member to turn horizontally in relation thereto, a stub-axle on said coupling, a support for said harvester connected to said coupling whereby the harvester compact manmay be swung horizontally and folded alongside said thrasher, and a wheel on said support adapted to be transferred therefrom to said stub-axle for sustaining said thrasher in traveling position when said harvester has been folded alongside thereof.

2.' In a machine of the class described, a thrasher having a supporting-wheel, a harvester, means connecting said harvester and thrasher embodyinga stub-axle and adapted to be swung horizontally in relation to said thrasher for folding the harvester alongside the thrasher, and an interchangeable wheel mounted on said connecting means and adapted to be transferred to said stub-axle for supporting said thrasher in traveling position when said harvester is folded along side thereof.

3. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester, means for flexibly connecting said elements whereby the harvester may be folded alongside the thrasher, a stubaXle associated with said connecting means, and a wheel on said 'harvester transferable to said stub-axle for portably supporting said thrasher.

4. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester foldable alongside said thrasher, a hinge member connected to said thrasher, means supported by said member for sustaining said thrasher' when said harvester is folded in relation thereto, and means connecting said harvester to said member whereby the harvester may be swung in a horizontal direction and folded along side the thrasher.-

5. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester, a vertical hinge member secured to said thrasher, means connecting said harvester to said hinge member whereby the harvester may be swung in a horizontal direction and folded alongside said thrasher, and means adjustably connected to said member for supporting said thrasher as said harvester is being folded alongside thereof.

6. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester, a hinge member mounted on said thrasher, means connected to said hinge member for supporting said thrasher', means connecting said harvester to said hinge member embodying a stub-axle,

and a wheel mountable on said stub-axle for portably supporting said thrasher.

7. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester adapted to be folded alongside said thrasher, a hinge member, means for supporting said thrasher in stationary position while said harvester is being folded, means for supporting said harveste/1 embodying a stub-axle mounted on said hinge member for connecting said harvester to the latter, and a wheel mountable on said harvester and transferable to said stub-axle for portably supporting Said thrasher as said harvester is being folded alongside thereof.

8. In a machine of the class described, a. thrasher, a. harvester hingedly connected to said thrasher whereby the harvester may be swung horizontally and folded in relation to the thrasher, means for supporting said thrasher as said harvester is being folded(l wheel-supporting means adjacent said tl'irasher, and an interchangeable wheel on said harvester transferable to said wheelsupporting means for portably sustaining said thrasher as said harvester is foldedf' alongside thereof.

9. In a machine of the class described, a thrasher, a harvester, means for supporting said harvester, means connecting said supporting means to said thrasher whereby the harvester is folded in relation thereto, and

means for connecting said harvester to said hinge member' whereby the harvester may be adjusted in horizontal directions in relation to the thrasher.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature:

WALLACE F. MACGREGOR. 

